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Release Date: 
Monday, April 10, 2006

HFCC, CMU bands join for 'All that Brass and Jazz' concert

HFCC, CMU bands join for 'All that Brass and Jazz' concert

Henry Ford Community College’s Big Band is joining Central Michigan University’s Brass Band for an 'All That Brass and Jazz' concert on Sunday, Apr. 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, located at 15801 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn. Reserved seats are $15. For tickets, please call 313-943-2354.

The CMU Brass Band, directed by CMU trumpet professor Dennis Horton, will perform such works as Mozart’s Overture to the 'Magic Flute' and the 'Finale' of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. The HFCC Big Band, directed by Rick Goward of Dearborn, associate dean of HFCC’s Fine Arts and Fitness Division and CMU graduate, will perform 'Here’s That Rainy Day' and 'A Time for a Change' from the Stan Kenton library along with other up-tempo pieces from the Count Basie and Buddy Rich Big Band books.

Horton, Goward’s first brass instructor in college, says that 'having very successful alumni like Rick is wonderful - and to share a concert makes it even more enjoyable and exciting.'

'This is a great opportunity to hear some of the best collegiate student musicians in Michigan,' stated Goward, also looking forward to the reunion. 'This also is a great opportunity to experience the beautiful and acoustically outstanding Ford Community and Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. For us, this is a golden opportunity to have an audience full of community concert goers who deserve to experience our performance.'

Directed by Goward, the HFCC Big Band has played in more than 750 concerts, dances and convention performances from 1983 to 2000. The band joined with vocal group Midnight Blue to perform at the 2005 Presidential Inauguration festivities in Washington, D.C. The group is the only band – professional or amateur – to appear at the Ford Detroit Jazz Festival for 23 consecutive years. The Big Band also joined with Evergreen Blues to perform for the 2001 Presidential Inaugural celebration in Washington, D.C. and for a 2002 concert tour in Hawaii.

For more information, please call Rick Goward at 313-845-6470. For more information about HFCC, visit www.hfcc.edu.